A resident gave them refuge in their home until paramedics arrived to administer treatment. They remain in hospital today in a serious but stable condition.

A friend of the two men described them as 'innocent, professional people' who had earlier been out to watch the England v Croatia World Cup match and were involved in an 'unprovoked attack' while walking home.

The 26-year-old pal said: “They are both graduates with good jobs. This wasn't a gang attack or anything like that, they are innocent. I got told about it this morning, I was shocked. I couldn't believe it.

“They need to recognise the early intervention work we are doing and we need more funding to expand this.”

A police presence on the street.

READ MORE: Tram staff out on strike again in Sheffield todayKaltum Rivers, a Green Party councillor for Broomhill and Sharrow Vale, said staff at the nearby Springfield Primary School had been made aware of the incident by police but there was no 'security issue' and it remained open.

She added: “We have been advising parents of alternative routes to and from school because a police cordon is in place.

“There are a lot of families in the area and people are in shock. Things like this do not happen often here.”

Police sealed off part of Headford Grove this afternoon as they carried out enquiries to ascertain the exact circumstances around what happened.

Anyone with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting incident number 63 of 12 July 2018.

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